Dialing device for telephones



Feb. 3, 1942. 5, L GUARDIA 2,272,089

DIALING DEVICE FOR TELEPHONES Filed Aug. 10, 1939 W MM 'INVIENTORI La Guam Patented Feb. 3, 1942 UNITED STAT S PATEN This inventionrelates to an improved dialing device for telephones. m

In the conventional type of dial telephone a rotatable dialing disk is provided. Upon the rotationof the disk electrical impulses are set up. By sequentially combining these impulses in various manners connections between different telephone stations can automatically be establishedn Normally the dials are so arranged that they are rotated in one direction against the tension of a spring and when released will return to the original position; A plurality of separate dial holes are provided inthe disk, each representing various numbers of impulses and a. stop is providedadjacent the. disk at one point. In using the dial the finger ofthe operator is inserted in the desireddial opening and the disk .is rotated until the finger engages the stop. When the fingeris removed the dial will then return to its normal position, due. to the action of the spring. -To establish the desiredstation connections it is necessaryv to make arplurality of operations of this character in succession and selecting the proper dial openings in the proper sequence. f i y Considerable difiiculty has frequently arisen in the operation of dials of this character. Thus it is easy to inadvertently select the wrong dial opening and frequently the finger of the op erator will slip from'one opening to another or else the disk will be released prior to "the time that the finger engages the stop. Any of thesev circumstances results in the dialing of the improper number.

It is a prime object of the present invention to overcome the difliculties encountered in this respect and to provide an improved simplified .dialing device whereby the desired sequence of numbers, letters or symbols can readily be selected and'wherein the danger of the inadvertent selection of the wrong number, letter or symbol 'is' reduced to a minimum. i

A further object is the provision 'of a device of the above character which may readily be attached to the standard type of 'dialtelephone without injuring the telephone in any respect and without requiring the removal or disturbance of any of the standard parts of theltelephone.

Another object is the provision of an improved dialing device of the above character which is V of relatively simple and inexpensive construction and which will operate over a long period of time with comparative freedom from weang drawing, in which 1 Fig. 1' is a perspective view of atelephone hav ing my improved dialin gdevice attached thereto; 'f Fig.='2 is a 'sectionalplan view-of the device;

' Fig. 3is anelevation insection in the direction of the arrows on the line 3-3of Fig. 2

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view. n the I direction of the arrows 'on'the' lined-4 of Fig. 2:

direction of the arrows on. the line 5-5 oi Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is aplan viewof thecoupling diskv and dial platetaken on the line 6 t; of'Fig. 3; and Fig. 7 is a. detailed view in section 'in the direc-. tion of the arrows on the line 1- of Fig. 6.

In the accompanying drawing my device is i llustrated as appli'ed to a standard type of dial telephone comprising a base l0 and a hand set ll formed with a mouthpiece" l2 atone endand an earphone 14 at the other; end] On the base is 1 mounted in the usual manner for rotary movel1 adapted to engagethe'finger of theoperator ment the circular-dial disk o'r' plate l5 provided witha plurality of openings, usually 10 in number,'as shown mostclearly at [6 in Fig. .6. Adjacent and overlapping'the'dial plate is'the stop when it is inserted'fin one of the dial openings and rotated to a point adjacentthe stop.

-As shown in Fig. 6 the dial plate is partially rotated from normal position- Eachdial opening usually represents certain numbers and symbols. One of the standard arrangements is v to number the, dial openings from 1 to 10 and to also cause each of the dialopenings with the exception of the first to represent certain letters of the alphabet. This arrangement. of course is subject to variation and is merely described herein as an illustration of a standardtype of dialing arrangement.

The telephone dialplate and associated mechanism just describedforms; no part of the present invention. Their; construction is well understood by those skilled in the art and is merely "illustrated fanddescrib'ed herein asthe type of mechanism to which my dialing. device may be attached.

My improved dialing device is indicated generally'by the numeral l8 and comprises a supporting plate 19 suitably-attached as by means of rivets 2.0 'to an arm- 2| projecting from the circular .clamp 22 which is 'adaptedto'be. at tached around the standard of the telephone base in the manner shown most clearly in Figs. 1 and 4. Inmy device I provide suitable mechanism for I For a fuller understanding of the invention converting the rotary movement'of dial l5 into Fig. 5'is a longitudinal isectional view in the.

substantially vertical movement and this mechanism preferably comprises a plurality of levers corresponding in number to the number of dial openings, which, in this instance is 10. The levers are indicated by the numerals 23 to 32 and they are pivotally mounted on a fulcrum comprising a shaft 34 supported on standards 35 which in turn are mounted on the plate [9. The ends of the levers 23 and 32 are in staggered relationship, alternate levers being somewhat shorter than the remaining levers and at the end of each lever is provided a disk shaped head indicated by the numerals 35 to 45. 1

Each of the levers represent one of the dia openings and is marked with the number and letters of the dial opening which it represents, as shown in Fig. 2. The levers are normally held in elevated position by means of the springs 46 disposed around shaft 34 and engaging the undersurface of the several levers. The levers in turn are operatively connected to the dial plate so that the depression of a lever causes the dial plate to rotate through an arc of the proper length in accordance with the dial opening represented by the lever. Thus, when lever No. 23 is depressed it causes the dial plate to rotate the proper amount for the operation of dial opening No. 1. The mechanism whereby this is accomplished comprises spiral gear segment 61 keyed to shaft 48, which in turn is pivotally mounted as by means of ball bearings in the uprights 49 which extend upwardly from plate 19. The segmental gear 41 is disposed substantially at the center of shaft 48 and at the two sides thereof are the curved actuating plates 59 responding actuated position of the plate. Fig. 5 I

in full lines shows the normal position of plate 5| and of lever 32 and in dotted lines the depressed position of the lever and the corresponding actuated position of the plate. It will be seen that the plate 5| in its normal position extends to a substantially lower point than the plate 53 with the result that it is immediately actuated upon the operation of one of the levers 28 to 32,

whereas on the other hand the levers 23 to 2? are depressed a predetermined amount before they cause the actuation of plate 50. The reason for this arrangement is that the levers 28 through 32 represent dial openings which require a greater amount of rotation of plate I 5 for their operation.

Spiral gear 41 meshes with spiral gear 52 keyed to a shaft 53 which in turn is journaled in plate I3 and in bracket 54. Shaft 53 extends beneath plate is and a collar 55 having a transverse arm 55 connected to or formed integral therewith is fixedly attached to the lower end of the shaft. This arrangement forms a convenient mechanism for coupling the shaft 52 to dial plate l5 so that the rotation of the shaft will cause a corresponding rotation of the dial plate. The coupling is completed through means of a coupling disk El which may be connected to the dial plate so as to rotate therewith as by means of the arms 58 extending downwardly into the dial opening while it is keyed to shaft 53 by means of the parallel 1 upstanding flanges 59 which form a channel to accommodate the arm 56. The arm 56 is of substantially the same width as the channel and the two sides thereof are engaged by the flanges 59. Due to this coupling arrangement it will accordingly be seen that when one of the levers 23 to 32 is depressed so as to cause rotation of shaft 43 spiral gear segment 41, spiral gear 52 and shaft 53 it will also cause the dial plate I5 to rotate.

Since each of the levers 23 to 32 represents one of the dial openings it is important that the depression of the lever causes the dial plate to rotate the proper amount for the opening represented by the lever. So as to automatically accomplish this result I provide a stop plate 50 in the form of a U-shaped strip having arms 6| pivotally mounted on shaft 34 and extending forwardly substantially parallel to plate [9 towards the heads of the levers. The guide plate 68 is provided with a graduated upper surface in the manner most clearly shown in Fig. 3 and with a plurality of downwardly extending guide slots 63 positioned beneath and adapted to accommodate the levers 23 to 32. When the levers are depressed they move downwardly into their respective slot 63 until they reach the bottoms thereof which serve as stops. It should be appreciated that the arrangement of the upper surface of plate 60 and of the slots 63 should be such that the movement of each of the levers is resisted and stopped when it has caused the proper amount of rotation of plate I5. I So as to insure the positive stopping of plate l5 at the proper point I also provide mechanism for engaging the coupling plate 51 at the proper time and for resisting further rotation thereof. This mechanism preferably comprises a lever 64 pivotally mounted at 65 to the undersurface of plate 19 and normally held in elevated position in engagement with the plate by means of spring 66. As'previously pointed out plate 60 is pivotally supported on shaft 34. Depending downwardly from the center of plate 60 is a tab 51 which projects through an orifice 53 formed through plate l9 so that the tab rests on the top of lever 64. When any one of the levers 23 to 32 is depressed so as to engage the bottom of its slot 63 it causes plate 60 and tab 6! to shift downwardly with the result that lever 64 pivots downwardly against the tension .of spring 65. The end of lever 64 is provided with a stop lug 59 which, when it is thus depressed, is adapted to engage one of the upstanding flanges 16 formed on coupling disk 51 thereby arresting further rotation of the disk. It will thus be seen that in addition to providing for the interengagement between the stop plate 60 and any one of the levers 23 to 32 when they are depressed, I have provided additional mechanism for stopping rotation of the dial plate in a positive and effective manner.

My improved dialing device is preferably enclosed in a casing H which is provided with a plurality of slots 12 in its forward wall through which the ends of the levers 23 to 32 and their respective heads project.

It will be appreciated that my device may be attached toa standard type of dial telephone by coupling the coupling plate 51 to the dial plate in the manner shown and described and by attaching the clamp 22 to the standard of the telephone base. In using the device it is merely necessary to depress the keys having the desired letters and numbers thereon in the proper sequence. The keys are depressed much'in the manner of typev and the danger of mistakes.

2,272,089 r c k gear segment, and meansoperatively connecting writer keys and accordingly are easy to operate and reduce the danger of mistake to a minimum. If desired, spiral spring 13 may be provided in association with the shaft 48 as shown most clearly in Fig. 2, the spiral spring serving to return the shaft to its normal position after one of the levers has been depressed and then released. Y

It will thus be appreciated that I have provided an improved dialing device for telephones which is of relatively simple construction, which may be readily attached to a standard type of dial the spiral gear with the dial plate.

' 4. The combination with a dial telehpone having a base and a rotary dial plate mounted thereon and; formed with dial openings therein, of a dialing-attachment which comprises a supporting member, means for attaching the supporting member on the base so as to retain it against rotation with respect thereto, a plurality of levers telephone without injuring the telephone, and

Without theflnecessity of removing any of the parts thereof, and which operates in a simple and efiective manner so as to avoid confusion It should be understood of course that modifications may be made in the illustrated and described embodiment of my invention without departing from the invention as set forth in the accompanying claims.

I claim-- 1. A dialing device for use with a dialytele phone having a rotary dial plate and a plurality of dial openings therein which comprises a supporting member, a plurality of levers representing the respective dial openings mounted on the supporting member, a coupling disk having means for engaging the dial openings in the dialplate so that the rotation of the coupling disk causes rotation of the dial plate, means mechanically connecting the levers with the coupling disk so that movement of the levers causes the coupling disk and dial plate to rotate and a stop plate having a plurality of abutment portions in the path of movement of the respective levers, the abutment portions being located in relatively member, a plurality of levers representing the mounted on the supporting member representing the respective dial openings and means forming a positive mechanical connection between the levers anddial plate so that movement of the,

levers causes positive rotation of the dial plate through an 'arc corresponding to the position of the dial opening represented by the lever.

5. The combination with a dial telephone having a base and a rotary dial plate mounted thereon and formed with dial openings therein, of a dialing attachment which oomprisesav supporting respective dial openings mounted 'on the sup porting member, a coupling member having engagement with the dial plate so that rotation of the coupling member causes rotation of the dial I plate, and means forming 'a positive mechanical connection between the levers and coupling member whereby movement of the lever causes rotation of the coupling member and dial plate throughanarc corresponding to the position: of the dial opening represented by the lever.

6. The combination with .a dial telephone h'aving a base and a rotary dial plate mounted there different planes so that the movement of the 7 different levers is limited to different predetermined amounts whereby the operation of the levers causes the dial plate to rotate through an arm corresponding to they position of the dial opening represented by the lever. I

' tation of the dial plate, and means forming a on and formed with dial openings therein, of a dialing attachment which comprises a supporting member, a plurality of levers representing the 1 respective dial openings mounted on the supporting member, a coupling member having means for engaging a dial opening inthe dial plate so that rotation of the coupling member causes ropositive mechanical connection between the 2. A dialing device for use with a dial tele f phone having a rotary dial plate and a plurality of dial openings as set forth in claim 1 in which the coupling disk has a plurality of upstanding flanges and which engages a member pivotally mounted on the supporting member and operatively connected to the stop plate, said member beingshiftable into the path of movement of the upstanding flanges on the coupling plate so that when an abutment portion of the stop plate is- A engaged by one of the levers, said member arrests further rotation of the coupling plate. 3. A dialing device for use with a dial telephone having a rotary dial plate which comprises a supporting member, a plurality. of levers mounted on the supporting member and shiftable through paths of difierentpredetermined lengths,

and means'for operatively connecting the levers shaft, a spiral gear engageable with the spiral levers and coupling member whereby movement of the lever causes rotation of the coupling member and dial plate through an arc corresponding to the position of the dial opening represented by thelever.. I

7. The combination with a dial telephone having a baseand a rotary dial platemounted there'- on and formed with dial openings therein, of a dialing attachment which comprises a supporting member, "a plurality of levers representing the respective dial openings mounted *on the supporting member, a coupling member' having means forengaging a dial opening in-the dial plate so that rotation of the coupling member causes m tation of the dial plate, means forming a positive ,mechanical connection "between the levers and couplingmember so that movement of the levers causes the coupling member and dial plate to rotate, and a stop plate having a plurality of abutmentportions in the path of movement of the respective levers, the abutment portions be-' inglocated in relatively different planes sothat the movement of the different levers is limited to different predetermined amounts whereby the operation of the leverscauses the dial plate to rotate through an arccorresponding to the position of the dial opening represented the lever.

', LOUIS E. LA GUARDIA." 

